The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-12
.pERLEY's "REMINISCENCES.
Undergoing Quarantine in Syria How
Yankee Fooled the NJ ahometans.

Quarantine! The word is a bugbear to
every Christian Traveller in the Mediterra-
mean, for what can be more annoying than to
be imprisoned for forty days, more or less,
ina filthy lazaretto During the first two
or three days he writes UP his journal and
correspondence, then reads every guide-book
in his trunk or those of his companions, then
sndeavors to pass his time in dolce far
saiente state Of listlessneSs, and then tsay the
9th morning. he strides up and down his
room and the adjoining yard, like tiger in
his cage, and wishes the plague would carry
off those who would put barriers in his way
in the shape of quarantine. To the Mussul-
mans these sanitary prisons are still more
disgusting, for their fatalist doctrines lead
them to believe that il Allah wills it the
plague cannot be kept away. sit is Gods
will, God is great and Mahomet is his proph-
et." Quarantines are in their eyes an
infidel invention, and great is their delight
when they can subject Christian to its in-
conveniences!
/ had learned at Jerusalem, in 1845, that
a quarantine of thirty days had been i'm
posed at Alexandria on all travellers coming
from Jatfa, and to escape it, ! had deter
mined to cross the desert to Grand Cairo
Now in those days the plains of the Philis-
tines were swarming with robbers, and hav-
of Grand Cairo, with about 100 Copt Chris
tians who had been celebrating the holy
Week. at Jerusalem, the Journey to GAIA
was continued sham-fght. Mrs Lieder,
in an account of it which she sent to the
London Missionary Magazine, made it
retreat which eclipsed that of Xenophon,
but no lives were lost, and although an
Arab sheik and his warriors looked very
formidable as they ride up with their long
guns and demand backsheesh Ia tribute) they
quail before brace of loaded pistols It was
excessively annoying, though, to be stopped
every few miles by them, and have long
alteration, during which there was always
clicking of locks, and | looked forward to
FL Arish, Mahomet Ais frontier town, as
to the end of a veXatious escort duty. Once
there, the poor Christians and their devoted
missionary would be safe, and [ could Strike
out in the desert as fast as our attendant
train of baggage camels could keep up with
"Bellao, the pet dromedary, whose saddle
/ had converted into a perfect arsenal.
Three brace of loaded pistols and yataghan
are not very pleasant travelling compan-
ions.
About 10 o'clock in the morning the NINA
ret of Ell Arish came in sight, and | soon
saw the town, wretched- looking collection
of mud houses. ! was for trotting off at
once to enjoy that greatest of oriental lux
uries a Turkish bath, but Achmet, the
best of dragomans, and the chief among
swindling servants, would not permit any
such undignified conduct. The town must
be entered Sin state" and after cursing the
camel drivers to his hearts content, he
formed them in line behind my drome-
Diary, and then took the lead of the process
sion, with the 'Stars and Stripes" of the
tent flag waving from his lance 1t was his
evident intention to make a sensation as
we threaded the narrow streets, and then,
when his tents were pitched and my wants
were supplied, he would strut off to the cof-
fee-house, to narrate wonderful stories of
his lord and master from "YenG Donid, or
the New World The said parsonage, by
the way, had expended all his cash in fitting
out his caravan, and my whole cash capital
at the time was about 81 this Achmet was
not aware Of
On went in great style, but just as |
arrived in front of the gate, for Ell Arish
is a walled town, out came q canvass,
bearing the silver headed stick of author
ity, and pulling his fine mare up in front,
shouted, with a sardonic grin, "Quaran-
tino!n
"Quarantinow echoed Achmet "Quaran-
tino!n repeated the camel drivers, and the
cook, and the coffee maker, and little Alec,
the pipe bearer.
1t was even SO. The Bey of Cairo had
sent a ca,Uoss the day previous to Ell Arish,
with orders to the Governor to make all
coming into the Egyptian territory pass
thirty days in quarantine, and my guardian
marShalled me to sand bank where the
tents were to be pitched. Mrs Lieder
and her party were sent in another direc-
ton.
There I was. sure enough, in quarantine,
after going to so much trouble in order to
avoid it, and there was no visible way of
feeding eight men, four camels and drome-
Diary for thirty days with 81. The sun came
down with great power through the canvas
tent, the sand drifted in, and there was
nothing to be seen save the miserable
town, from which stream of half-clad
but closely-veiled women constantly poured,
to fill their water pots at the well, car
rying them away when full upon their
heads
In the afternoon the Governor paid us a
visit, and the guardians having drawn a
line on the sand, Isquatted down on my re-
spective side, and held pow-wow through
the interpreting medium of Achmet. 1.-The
Europeans" the Governor said, had per-
suaded Mehemet Ali, to establish quaran-
tines, and it was we'll | should submit at
once; he had his orders and should enforce
them" But these poor pilgrims" | re-
marked, "whoare with Mrs. Lleder, they
have not money enough to keep them thirty
days" THE Governor says in reply" said
Achlnet, that if they will submit to puri-
iication by water, if you will dip yourself
and everything you have in the sea, you can
go on at once"
This was aggravation, for l knew, and so
dld the Governor, that my embroidered
Greek dress and rich arms would be spoiled
by the salt water, not to mention sundry
pieces of freussa silk in one of my trunks,
selected i'll the Constantinople bazars for
lar Partisan friends. 1t would never do to
spoil all these, and yet the idea of thirty
days confinement in such a miserable hole
was horrible to contemplate, to say nothing
OF the lack of funds When the Governor
mad left, | retreated to our tent, and throw
ing myself upon the mattress, which was "a
bed by night and divan by day. set my
wits at work. "Eurekan was my joyful
exclamation, after an hours hard thinking.
Clapping my hands, Achmet made his APP
pearance. and told him to send word to the
Governor that at sunrise the next morn
ing would 20 down to the seaside, bag
and baggage, and submit to a publication
by water,
That evening, about an hour after the
sun had dived down into the CLASSY Medi-
teiranean the shril voice of the MOeddin
IRON the minaret summoned the faithful to
Their eI eShdh, or evening prayers. All
Then was still i'll I'll Arish save the barking
Of the dogs Achmet and my head guar
ulan sat cross-legged at n little charcoal fire,
enjoying JET, which may be translated
iioahng, with chibouk filled with Persian to-
pacco and an occasional cup oil strong coffee.
added to their enjoyment by giving them